Shafaq News / The Parliamentary Finance Committee revealed, on Saturday, the reason for the delay in sending the country's general budget to the Iraqi Parliament, citing a change in its schedules.

Committee member Muayin Al-Kadhimi told Shafaq News Agency that the requirements of ministries and unrelated entities, operational and investment budgets, and increased financial allocations for employee salaries, retirees, social protection network, and ration card have all led to changes in the budget law schedules and delayed its submission to the Parliament.

He added that the general budget for 2024 amounted to 228 trillion IQD after the increase in operational and investment expenses, noting that the expected financial deficit is 80 trillion IQD after the budget for 2023 was 199 trillion IQD.

He confirmed that the Council of Ministers will vote on the budget schedules after the end of the visit of the Council's President, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to Washington and his return to Baghdad, with the budget expected to reach Parliament by the end of April.

Last February, the Parliamentary Finance Committee announced the completion of the Ministry of Finance's preparation of the 2024 budget schedules, stating that the Council of Ministers would approve them in March (last month) for submission to Parliament thereafter.

Noteworthy, today, Saturday (April 13th), Prime Minister Al-Sudani departed for Washington on an official visit upon the invitation of President Biden.